‘Operation Socialist’: UK spy agency behind Belgian telecom hack

UK spy agency GCHQ carried out hack attacks on telecoms firm Belgacom, data divulged by Edward Snowden has revealed. Fingers initially pointed to the NSA when Belgian authorities reported a “foreign state” had invaded the networks of the state company.

Slides from a GCHQ presentation, seen by Der Spiegel, show the
infiltration of company computers was part of ‘Operation
Socialist’. The presentation then goes on to describe the
advanced technology involved in extracted the data from the
organization.

The GCHQ targeted certain high-level employees with
‘man-in-the-middle’ attacks that redirect them to copycat
websites where their computers were infected with malware. The
malware was then used to manipulate the computers and collect key
information.

Slides reported that as a result of Operation Socialist the GCHQ
was on the verge of accessing the Belgian company’s central
router. Once accessed the plan was to use ‘man-in-the-middle’
attacks on smartphone users.

The head of GCHQ's Network Analysis Centre (NAC) hailed Operation
Socialist as a "success" in one of the slides of the
presentation.

Belgacom is a key telecommunications company in Europe give that
some of its main customers include the European Commission, the
European Council and the European Parliament.

All eyes turned to the NSA when federal prosecutors announced on
Monday that a “foreign state” had compromised Belgacom’s systems
to gather strategic information. US Director of National
Intelligence James Clapper had previously admitted that the NSA
collected information about economic and financial material from
the Belgian telecoms firm, but maintained it was aimed at
fighting terrorism and averting financial crisis.

"What we do not do," Clapper said in a statement, "is
use our foreign intelligence capabilities to steal the trade
secrets of foreign companies on behalf of – or give intelligence
we collect to – US companies to enhance their international
competitiveness or increase their bottom line."

Documents leaked by former CIA employee Snowden revealed
extensive corporation between the NSA and the GCHQ.

Previously, the US Department of Defense had insisted that it did
not carry out “economic espionage in any domain.” However,
Snowden has presented overwhelming evidence that contradicts
these claims. Classified information obtained by Brazilian
network Globo TV showed the NSA had been monitoring Brazilian
state oil giant Petrobras.

The data also revealed that the US had been spying on the
Brazilian president’s private communications. As a result of the
revelations, President Dilma Rousseff has postponed an October
state visit to Washington and demanded an explanation from
Washington regarding the NSA’s surveillance activities.